Muskrat Farm Suffolk Va

May 4^th 1863

           

Dear Ari

                        I will tell you first that I am well and not wounded for we were in a tough Battle yesterday but every thing is all right this morning. I have just received your letter of the 28^th and read it and will try to answer it but my hand trembles so I cant but just write. I will tell our killed first although it is but 4 so far. Capt. Buzell of Co. F was shot through the heart right by the side of me poor fellow. he throd up his hands and said my God I am shot and fell dead on his face and one private by the name of Batchelder in Co. C and one in Co. D I dont know his name. / and Ari the one that makes me feel the worst is that of Harrison Foy. he was shot through the body with a musket ball. the ball went in under his right arm and come out under his left arm. he lived about 20 minuits. we are a going to have his body imbalmed and send it home to his poor old Father & Mother. he belonged to Co E. I told the boys that I would stand good for what it cost to send him home if it was 500 dollars for I know his Father would want him sent home if it was possible. we had 16 wounded in the Regt. only 2 in our Co. one was my partner he was wounded in the heel slightly we were laying on our belleys / in open field and the rebbels were in the woods a giveing us jessey. the 89^th N.Y. Regt was front of us and their Col ordered them to make a charge on the woods and thay would not our Col said will the 13^th charge on them woods. no sooner said then dun we up started right over the 89^th as though the Devil was after us and into the woods we went. you would laughed to seen the rebbels puter out sight we drove them as far as we wanted to and then sat down to rest. we stayd in the woods all day long. I would not have believed that our regt would went in with so much pluck. I took good care of myself so dont you be frightend. after we / got out of the Battle our Capt turned around to me and said Steve. I followed you this time if I did not keep up. I was on the right of the co next to the Capt. well I suppose you dont want to hear so much about fighting. you tell Atwell after all the fighting we had that I never fired my gun once so I never killed any body. the reason was I am like Father I never fire unless I can see something to shoot at. I see rebbels enough but thay were out of shot so I would not fire. I see lots of our boys fire right up in the air thay were so excited. I dont know what the loos is on our side yet. how is my little Elmer tell him papa is all right. give my love to all did Elmer get his letter I wrote

           

good day Corp S. B. Tarlton

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